GRIMES, IA, July 29, 2008 – Anime producer and distributorRight Stuf, Inc. andNozomi Entertainment are pleased to celebrate theJuly 29 release of theMARIA WATCHES OVER US – Season 1 DVD Collection with thelaunch of the series’ official site, atmariasama.rightstuf.com (http://mariasama.rightstuf.com). Also, as part of the site’s grand opening, fans will have a special opportunity tosubmit their questions for the series’ creator,Ms. Oyuki Konno.

**PLUS: Right Stuf and Nozomi Entertainment have been granted aninterview with the creator ofMaria-sama ga Miteru, novelistOyuki Konno, and want to know what questions fans have for her.Please submit questions, via the form located atmariasama.rightstuf.com, by11:59 p.m. CDT on August 15, 2008.

TheMaria Watches Over Us DVD Collection– which includes theentire 13-episode first television season ofMaria-sama ga Miteru, plus theSeason 1 “specials” – is now available. It features Japanese audio, along with English on-screen translations, andtwo English-language subtitle tracks: one withregular dialogue subtitles and a second,special subtitle track that retains the Japanese honorifics.

The box set for the series’ second television season is currently scheduled for a Fall 2008 release.

TheMaria Watches Over Usanime is based upon an ongoing series of novels – written byOyuki Konno and illustrated byReineHibiki– that began in 1998 and currently spans 32 volumes. Short stories related to the series have been published in theshoujo (girls’) magazineCobalt, and a manga adaptation is serialized in the anthology magazineMargaret. The series’ publisher, Shueisha, also produced 14 drama CDs (with radio-style plays).

The anime adaptation ofMaria-sama ga Miteru – also referred to by fans as“MariMite” – encompasses two, 13-episode TV seasons, a 5-episode OVA (original video animation) as its third season, and a fourth season, currently in production in Japan.

When Yumi Fukuzawa entered the Lillian Girls’ Academy, a prestigious all-girls Catholic school in Tokyo, she never imagined she would catch the eye of beautiful and demure Sachiko Ogasawara, one of the school’s most popular students. Now Sachiko has offered to be Yumi’ssœur– her “sister” and guide for all her years at the academy. The whole idea has Yumi completely flustered: After all, they hardly know each other! The entire campus is abuzz with rumors about the two of them, but Yumi is conflicted over accepting Sachiko’s offer. While she admires Sachiko, being hersœurwould also mean constantly being at the center of the entire school’s attention! Contains the complete 13-episode first season, plus the Season 1 “specials.”

ABOUT RIGHT STUF, INC.Currently celebrating its 21st year in business,Right Stuf, Inc.was one of the first players in the U.S. Japanese Animation (“anime”) industry, as both an anime producer/distributor and a retailer. Right Stuf works to promote knowledge of its own products, as well as the anime and manga industry, in general, through its online storefront at RightStuf.com and a variety of media including podcasts and special publications.

Nozomi Entertainment, Right Stuf’s production division, is dedicated to the highest quality releases. True to the Japanese word that inspired its name, Nozomi’s focus is on“what fans want.” By focusing on a limited number of anime properties each year, the Nozomi production team ensures each release receives the care and attention to detail it deserves.Astro Boy, Kimba andGigantorto modern comedies, dramas and favorites such asThe Irresponsible Captain Tylor, His and Her Circumstances,Gravitation, Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars,Ninja Nonsense,To Heart,The Third: The Girl With the Blue Eye,Emma: A Victorian Romance,Maria Watches Over Us andARIA, Right Stuf and Nozomi Entertainment produce quality programming for fans of all ages and interests. For more information, visitwww.rightstuf.com andwww.nozomient.com.